Digital Rights Management (DRM) allows content owners and distributors to not only deter unwanted copying of content but also to control how that content is used. For example, DRM allows content owners to control how many viewings are allowed for certain content, for example audio or video media data, how many copies may be made for the content, what device may receive the owned content, etc.
Currently, DRM protected content is associated with a machine, i.e. a PC, a portable device, a cellular phone, etc. This allows multiple applications on a machine to access the protected content once the machine has been granted access by a DRM system. Unfortunately, malicious users may circumvent this DRM approach and access content they are not authorized to access, change the way content is played back, etc.
One example of utilizing content in an unintended manner involves application spoofing of a Rich Internet Application (RIA). A spoofed application may be created that appears to a server like an application that is approved to access, play, store, etc., protected content. Therefore, the application may receive the content from the server and use it in a way a content owner does not intend. One example is advertisement funded video, where a content owner or distributor may intend a user to watch pre-roll advertisements, interstitial advertisements, or overlay advertisements, etc., in order to watch the premium content. Spoofed applications attempt to play only the video content without the advertisements, resulting in revenue loss for at least one party. Online banking provides another example of application spoofing where it is detrimental to allow an apparently approved RIA to use protected content in a manner not intended by the content owner, the bank, etc.